Quick Take for Sunday, June 8, 2008 (Fast National Program and Fast Affiliate Time Period - Live + Same Day Ratings)
Boosted by Game 2 of the 2008 NBA Finals, ABC Dominates Sunday's Prime,
Topping its Nearest Competitors by 1 Million Viewers and by 106% in Adults 18-49
For the Second Straight Telecast This Year, the 2008 NBA Finals on ABC
Qualify as the Night's No. 1 TV Show in Viewers and All Key Adults Demographics
Year to Year, Game 2 of the Finals Surges by 4.9 Million Viewers and by 62% in Adults 18-49, the Top Game 2 Since 2004 and ABC's 2nd-Highest in the Past 6 Years
Sunday Night (7:00-11:00 p.m. - "Fast Affiliate Ratings")
Driven by Game 2 coverage of the 2008 NBA Finals, featuring Los Angeles Lakers and Boston, ABC turned in a dominant victory on Sunday. According to Nielsen's preliminary time-period-based "Fast Affiliate" ratings, ABC outpaced its nearest competition during primetime more than 1 million viewers (9.0 million vs. 7.9 million - CBS) and by 106% in Adults 18-49 (3.5/11 vs. 1.7/5 - Fox and NBC tied).
* ABC's primetime results were up sharply over the same night last year when it aired coverage of the second game for the 2007 NBA Finals, increasing by 3.0 million viewers and by 52% in Adults 18-49 (6.0 million and 2.3/7 on 6/10/07).
* Excluding the Academy Awards evenings, ABC garnered its highest Sunday numbers across the key men demographics in more than 2 years - best since 3/12/06 in Men 18-34 (4.2/14) and best since 5/21/06 in both Men 18-49 (4.4/13) and Men 25-54 (4.8/13).
"2008 NBA Finals Game 2" (9:04 - 11:55 p.m. E.T. - "Fast National Ratings")
According to Nielsen's program-based "Fast National" ratings, ABC's 2008 NBA Finals Game 2 overcame its competitors during primetime to qualify as Sunday night's No. 1 TV program in Total Viewers (13.5 million) and across each of the key adult demographics: A18-34 (5.5 rating), A18-49 (5.5 rating) and A25-54 (5.8 rating). It was the 2nd straight telecast for the 2008 NBA Finals to stand as the night's highest-rated television show in viewers and key adults. The Boston Celtics won the game by a score of 108-102 to lead the Los Angeles Lakers 2-0 in the best-of-seven series.
* ABC's Game 2 of the 2008 NBA Finals posted year-to-year increases of 4.9 million viewers and 62% in Adults 18-49 over the second game of the 2007 Finals (8.6 million & 3.4/10 on 6/10/07). In viewers and young adults, it was the strongest Game 2 for the NBA Championships in 4 years and the second highest in the 6 years that ABC has carried the Finals - since Game 2 of the 2004 series on 6/8/04. ABC began carriage of the NBA Finals starting in 2003.
A note about increasing DVR penetration and year-to-year rating comparisons: Year-to-year rating trends based on the Live + Same Day data stream may be somewhat distorted by the level of DVR penetration in the Nielsen sample, which has jumped from 16% at the same point in 2006-07, up to more than 24% currently. More viewers are watching shows on their own timetables, which may not be reflected in the overnight next day numbers. The only truly valid year-to-year comparison would be one based on the Live + 7 Day metric, once those stats are released by Nielsen.
Source: Nielsen Media Research (Fast Affiliate time period and Fast National program Live + Same Day Ratings), 6/8/08.
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